Space odyssey, a board game

ABSTRACT

This Space age Board game, embraces “Surround and Capture” mode as in Go. The Board design is made up with Components of Space, Four Interstellar Galaxy Regions, a Singularity Point, from which flow out Four Transitory Wormholes, each with Five Grid Points, allowing Rapid movements for Spacecrafts, as Wormholes in Space do. Go is static, once a piece is placed on a Grid Point, the piece never moves. This Board game, is Dynamic, all pieces on the Board, can move, create, expand, reconfigure, Nests. Each turn, enabling Two plays, to Place Two new pieces or move existing Two pieces, or, in any combination. Go is based on being able to foresee logical predictability of Strategy, but, this Design is innovative, full of unpredictabilities, difficult to foresee as in Real wars. Mathematical, combinatorial chart to move pieces is provided. This Board game is full of exciting strategic plays. A player with most Nest Space, and Captured pieces, wins.

This Design adopts “Surround and Capture” mode of “Go”. In the annals of “Surround, and Capture” Board game, this is historic. Go is “Static”, a piece placed once on the Board, is consigned to the Grid Point, immobile, until the doom's day, that is, until it is captured. This invention, changes “Static” genre”, into “Dynamic” game as it can be.

Each turn of play, gets to move two pieces, that is two plays, instead of one. A piece has infinite chances of moving during the entire game, being redeployed. The Board adopts components of Space, the Universe, Interstellar spaces, Transitory Spaces, 1 Singularly Point, and 4 Wormholes, giving Board pieces, immense speed, agility, and reach, extending tentacles every nook and cranny corner on the Board. Geometrical design is unique, it gives each 4 regional Interstellar space, 3 corners, and 3 Boarder lines. It is akin to four boards made into one. Go players, like to place pieces in corners of the Board, to build nests anchoring on 4 corners. This design has 4 Regions of Interstellar spaces, and each Region, gets 3 corners, altogether 12 corners, 4 by 3. All corners provide chance of staking out corner areas for nesting. Game pieces are moved with 2 Segment-numbers, in 6 degrees of mathematical, combinatorial movement-number table, at each turn with two plays.

The Design, is revolutionary, unprecedented. It cries for reevaluation of rankings of Go players (Dan) to play this Board game. Game of “Go”, has been touted as the Ancient Warfare Game, built up to fight ancient wars. Hitler, when his forces, hopelessly trapped, insisted, “Stand up, Fall, fighting”. This is not in the nature of Warfare. Huge armed forces, Tanks, Jets, and mighty aircraft carriers, summaries, cavaliers, move around in warfare, since ancient to modern times, changing tactics, deploying, redeploying. Toward the end of WWII, in the Russian front, as German troops were collapsing, Hitler forbade retreating. Generals needed Hitler's permission, to abandon a bunker. Finally, Generals ignored Hitler, and allowed troops to retreat or captured. Too little, too late, millions of German soldieries starved, frozen, maimed, captured, and dead. Finally, Hitler's Eastern Front collapsed. Hitler lost war. In East African front, in Tank battles, famed German General, Rommel, was clever in surrounding Allied tanks and troops. He was aware of the strategies and deployment of Allied forces, and knew exactly where and when to attack, helped by Allied Intelligence code cracked. He was given the nickname, “Desert Fox”. Allies changed secret code. Rommel lost access to intelligence report, and was no longer Desert Fox. Germany was finally driven out from East Africa. In this Board Design, Space Odyssey, traditional warfare game of Go, is radically changed from the land, into land, seas, and Space Age Warfare. Two revolutionary changes are introduced to the traditional warfare of keeping stones in one fixed Grid Point. Many square Grid Points and lines, of this Invention, straight and diagonal, introduced new move, and dimensions to the game, making it Space age warfare of the Interstellar galaxies, Wormholes, and Singularity Point. With the new design, Go masters must reinvent new strategies to play Space Odyssey Board game. Invented in China, Go is said to have 2500 years of history at least. Some claim 4000 years. Design and Play rules were not changed. Space Odyssey changed Static Go game to Dynamic Board Game. It changed game plays radically. Go masters may have to reinvent the Game of Land, to Game of Land, Sea, and Space, in the age of Space. Unlike Go, Pieces deployed on the Board, can be moved around to redeploy new nests or expand nests. In new space age game, a player can place one to Two new pieces at a time, or move one to two existing pieces on the Board, or in any combination of two. Each turn of play consists of Two Moves. The order of the combination of the optional plays are up to players to decide. These optional plays make this Board game distinctive. Like elusive, adroit fish escaping capture of Fishermen's nets, allowing up to two moves to play at each turn, existing pieces or new, make radically different from Go game, faster paced, nimble, elusive, and more complex. Placing a piece is one move. If you place one piece, and move the same piece, it makes Two piece-moves. In Static Go game, a piece placed once on a Grid Point, stays there until being captured. This Board game, allows all existing pieces to move any time, anywhere, or. Two new stone can be placed on Board or moved. If you move a newly placed piece, that constitutes second move. As in “Go”, no pieces can be directly attacked, or captured. Through “Surround and Capture” methods, Nests, Territories, are developed. The Forms remain unchanged from the previous submission, except previous submission of 8 Interstellar spaces are consolidated into 4 regions. This gives a large contiguous playing field to each region. Otherwise, the Design remains the same, and maintains forms based on the components of the Universe. There is no change in use of the movement numbers of pieces. The form, as in previous submission, includes Wormholes, Singularity point, and Four Interstellar Regional space structures. It no longer needs two types of Interstellar Spaces, Inner, and Outer. There are only Four Interstellar Space Regions on the Board, all Regions open to combat, unlike Previous submission. As in the Previous submission, of Board game design, there are three components: 1. Game Board Design, Form, 2. Board game pieces, 3. Apparatus, How to move pieces, Playing rules. All components are essential, but, none is more important than Game Board Design, Form. Playing Rules emanate, from Form, Board design. This Board game design follows this axiom. Space age is now in rage. Spacecraft, Space Shuttle, Search for Exoplanets, Migration to Mars, Close exams of Pluto, three billion miles away, Moons of Saturns, Neptunes, commercial space flights, Establishing a new Space Military Branch of U. S. Military Space Forces, a new dawn of Space have arrived.

Space age Board games are long overdue. Pluto is average 59 million km from the Sun, or average 40 AU. Until very recently when Voyager Spacecraft passed Pluto, Pluto remained a small blob to our eyes. Voyager sent back clear pictures of Pluto to Earth. It was an eye-opener. Unlike our Moon, there are no Craters. Pluto surfaces are totally different from our Moon. Pluto is geologically alive. It has internal heat, albeit Pluto is cold. Freezing ice water release heat. The arrival of Space age, makes it, totally appropriate for humanity, to accelerate developing Space Warfare Board games, to fire up imagination of humanity. This invention, consolidates 8 Inner, Outer, Interstellar regions of the previous submission to Four regions, without changing shapes, dimensions, and areas. Now, total Interstellar spaces are used for combat, instead of only Inner four. Four Regions of consolidated Interstellar Spaces, expand combat areas into Four large consolidated Regions. Switching from Grid Space to Grid Points, quadrupled Combat areas, by using four corners of Grid Space. Form remains the same, and the size of areas unchanged. Only Inner and Outer Interstellar Spaces are consolidated into one region. Four separate Interstellar space Regions, Wormholes, and Singularity point, the Board Design, keeps the design of Previous submissions, unchanged. Board pieces are also called Spacecrafts.

The only major change is the switch from deploying pieces on Grid Square space into four Grid points and lines of each Square space, in order to accommodate large combat areas needed for “Surround and Capture” mode. Space square has one playing space, while a Grid Square has Four Grid Points. This way, the board expands without geometrical, dimensional modifications, to accommodate “Surround and Capture” mode, that needs large combat areas. By abandoning direct attack, one-to-one, Pawn to Pawn attack mode, overly strong offensive power of pieces, is mollified. Similar to Continental groups of the Earth, there are four Interstellar Space Regions. Each Region of Four, consists of a single group of contiguous Interstellar spaces. Each of four Interstellar space Regions, offers a unified combat areas for Spacecrafts, having distinctive boarders, outer boarders, and inner Wormhole side boarders. These boarders share the same common characteristics, in terms of defining clear, independent boarders for each Region. Each Interstellar Space Region, has 51 Galactic Grid Points. Pieces travel and combat on Grid points and Grid lines, not square space. Players can place a new piece on any Grid point empty or available, on the Board, except Wormholes and Singularity Point, which are Transitory Space. They speed up transition of pieces, and reach immense areas. No pieces are allowed to stay on Transitory spaces. Transitory spaces, are applied only to move pieces already deployed, on the Board, unlike Go, where once pieces are placed on Board, remain fixed. It helps to dynamically reconfigure nests, territories, subject to reshaping Nests and Territories, reflecting real warfare. A newly placed piece, can be moved, with Second Segment numbers.

From ancient to contemporary times, no battle fields, lines, remain unchanged. Troops with new modern weapons, are moved, redeployed as Battle fields change. Tanks and Jet fighters are examples. When Nests are large and pieces are not captured yet, surrounded pieces can escape, moving out of the Nest, another Grid Point, on the Board, avoiding Captures. It reduces number of Captured pieces by opponent. An Opponent player can keep empty nest points of his Nests or Territory as opponent's pieces escape. Players can place a new piece, on any empty Grid Point on the board, not yet part of a Nest. As in the game of “Go”, pieces are surrounded and captured, being corralled into nests and territory. Here, the method of surrounding opponent's pieces, and capturing, is the same as in the Game of Go. However, there are clear differences in game design of two board games. Go is a static board game, with flat, contiguous square board. Once, a piece is placed, deployed, on the board grid point, it stays there until being captured. No real battle is fought that way, ever. Space Odyssey board game is Dynamic board game. In each move, a player has four optional points per Square. Pieces can be moved Straight, horizontal, vertical, and Diagonal, in any direction. albeit Movement Segment numbers are required.

Placing a new piece on the Board, and move the piece, constitutes two plays. Or, Instead of placing a new piece on the Board, a player can realign, by moving his two existing pieces already placed on the Board, selecting one or two Segment numbers as described below. Or a player can place a new piece, and move an existing piece. The sequential order of play is up to the player. Space Odyssey Board games is Dynamic, reconfigurable, and can extend the existing nests or help build new nests.

A piece flying over a contiguous line of pieces with a segment number, must land on an empty space. With Movement numbers, a piece can fly over one or more existing pieces, without being blocked. Without landing, Second segment number can change directions without landing on an empty space. All pieces must be lined up straight, including empty spots, a Second Segment number, First or Second, Segment number, can change directions. It must land on an empty space applying a segment number.

No pieces can be attacked and captured, without being surrounded, and corralled. Pieces must be surrounded, and captured via nests or territories, as in Go. A player, using the segment number, must fly over straight without changing directions, unless he has a second Segment number to change directions. A player cannot invade opponent's nests without capturing pieces, unless passing. A piece can stop over in one Grid Point in Opponent's nests, but immediately change direction and continues to move out with the Second Segment number, or fly out of Opponent's nest, using any Segment number. Two adjacent eyes in two nests, prevent from invading.

It can fly straight, over pieces in its path, without landing after move with the first segment number. Direction can be changed after the first segment number. But, an empty Grid Point is needed when landing. New Pieces can be placed in any empty Grid Point, except in Transitory space that is used for free transition only. A piece can land on an empty space, but not occupy opponent's nest. It can stop on an empty space of the opponent, but must immediately move out, or away. This way, powerful movements of pieces are tempered or curtailed, balancing power to attack and defend. Objective of the game is to capture as wide nest areas as possible, or territory, and opponent's pieces.

Board game stops when there are no additional nest areas available. Two consecutive “Pass”, not to play, player defaulst game. Game ends, when agreed-upon game period of 30 minutes are over. Players can agree to change 30 minutes as they wish before playing game. At the end of the game, opponent's empty nests are filled with captured pieces, thereby reducing his nest areas. In other words, a player's nest spaces are reduced, by his pieces captured by opponent. Player with most nest spaces in combination with remaining captured pieces of his opponent still holds, after filling Opponent's nests with captured pieces, constitute Score. It should be noted, the Space Odyssey Board design is geometrically entirely different from Go Board. Go Board has 19 by 19 square Gird points, or 13 by 13, or 9 by 9 Grid points or lines. Space Odyssey Game Board has Four groups of Interstellar space Regions, triangle-shaped, having distinctive geometrical shapes. Each Interstellar Space Region, has 51 Galactic Grid points. There are 4 sets of Wormholes of five Grid points, for each set, separating Interstellar galactic Regions. One Singularity point diagonally connects four Wormhole Sets. Together with four sets of 5 Wormhole Grid Points and 1 Singularity Point, there are 21 Transitory Grid points, where pieces can travel, but not to be stationed

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Board Design with elements of the Universe, includes Interstellar 4 Space Galaxy regions, each with 51 Grid Points, 204 Grid points in total. 4 sets of Wormholes, each with 5 Grid Points, one Singularity Point makes altogether, 225 Grid Points for the Board. Components of the Universe generate Forms. In turn, Board Form Design, drives Paraphernalia, Playing Rules.

Singularity:

Singularity center point, is Big Bang Origin point, Four Wormholes with 5 galactic points each, emanate from it. Big Bang started from a tiny, incredibly dense Singularity point. Symbolically, the Board center point is designated as Singularity point, the Birth origin of the Universe.

Four Sets of Interstellar Regions: Each with 51 Grid Points, Total of 204 Points

Each has unique Triangular Boarder lines, that is treated the same way, as outer boarders and Wormhole side Borders. Inner Boarder lines are defined by Wormholes. Play rules treat outside boarders, and inside boarders, adjacent to Warm holes, the same way in Nesting or Territory rules. Crossing or moving into Wormholes from an adjacent Grid point, does not require Movement point numbers. However, to reach close to, next to Wormholes, requires Grid point movement numbers. Stepping into or out from Wormholes does not require movement numbers for a piece. Traveling outside Wormholes into Interstellar Space Regions, requires Movement numbers. Wormholes can be crossed or traversed without stopping, without requiring points over or through Wormholes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1

Space Odyssey Game Board

Board Configuration has 15 by 15 overall Grid Lines or Grid Points. Total Grid Points of the Board are 225 Grid Points (204+21). Each of four Regions of Interstellar Spaces, has 51 Grid Points, altogether 204 Grid Points on the Board, excluding Transitory space. In addition, one Singularity point connects diagonally 4 Wormholes, each with 5 Grid Points, 21 Grid Points in total.

Transitory Spaces: Wormholes, and Center Singularity point, cannot be occupied. Pieces next to Wormholes, do not need movement-Points to get in or out of Transitory space. Transitory space speed up movements of pieces. When pieces get out of Transitory space, into Interstellar spaces, Movement points are needed to move around Interstellar Region spaces.

FIG. 2

Singularity Point

One Grid Point, In the Center, Diagonally connects in 4 Cross-Directions, 4 Wormholes with 5 Grid Points each, in Sum of 20. With Singularity point, Transitory Spaces become 21.

FIG. 3

Interstellar Space Region 1

With 51 Grid Points.

FIG. 4

Interstellar Space Region 2

With 51 Grid Points.

FIG. 5

Interstellar Space Region 3

With 51 Grid Points

FIG. 6

Interstellar Space Region 4

With 51 Grid Points.

FIG. 7

Examples of Nesting, Surrounding, and Capturing

FIG. 8

Example of Escaping

Red Dot threatened to be Captured, Simply Escaped to B.

Black or white Pieces surrounding and capturing pieces, create nests, or territory. Captured pieces are removed from the Board, kept by players who captured. Captured pieces by a Player, are added to player's scores, in addition to empty Nest spaces. Two or more Adjacent independent Eyes (Grid Points), cannot be invaded. Minimum Eye, is a Grid Point, or Liberty Point Two nests adjacent, with one eye each, constitutes, the minimal Nest Point, that cannot be invaded. Once, a piece is captured, opponent player has to skip one turn one play before invading the nest. Perpetual capture of the same eye is not allowed. Just fill in with pieces.

FIG. 9

Opening Moves

Notice, 4 Grid Points around Singularity Point.

Also, Two eyes connected in lower part of Blue Region. 4 Corners of Singularity Point, is ideal corner point to start a Nest.

FIG. 10

Many Patterns of Vectors, Deployment of Pieces

Pieces Move, in All Directions, Vertical, Horizontal, Diagonal.

FIG. 11

Red Board, Spacecraft Design, 32 Pieces for Player 1, 1.8 cm

Diameter. Magnet in the bottom. Oval shape, top and bottom.

Alternative: White Go Pieces

FIG. 12

Blue Board Piece, Spacecraft Design, 32 Pieces for Player 2, 1.8 cm

Diameter. Magnet in the bottom. Oval shape, top and bottom.

Alternative: Black Go Pieces

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Brief Description of the Invention, presents fairly in detail, Component by Component, topic by topic, category by category. Especially, how forms are structured, and how functions of each form elements relate to each other, work together, and interact, are critical. Forms, in turn, generate Playing Rules. This Section will go into details, further elaborating the Brief Description of the Invention. Especially, this section goes into how Movement-Points are constructed and used.

This Section concentrates on describing, major functions of components, and how they work together. It emphasizes Organic, and Conceptual relationships of components. In the center, there is one circular element, Black dot, that represents, the Singularity, of immensely dense point, the origin of the Big Bang. Wormholes of 5 Grid Points Point, in each diagonal direction, are sandwiched by Interstellar space regions.

To move the existing pieces, player can select two segment numbers. Sum of two Segment numbers is less than, or equal to 6. First segment number moves pieces straight in any direction. Second segment number can change directions. Within a Transitory space, movements of Spacecraft are free, uninhibited. No movement number is needed. Movement numbers are required to move existing pieces. The minute a piece exits the Wormholes and Singularity point, Players need Movement-Points. Default Game time is 30 minuets. The Sum of the number of empty Nest space, and captured pieces a player still holds, are tallied for score. It is recommended, a player's captured pieces should fill opponent's empty nest scores, reducing time to tally score. A player, skipping turns to play, for two consecutive times default. A player can also declare his Defeat. Below, Movement-Points, are discussed in detail. For capturing rules, it is recommended to check out YouTube resources listed below.

YouTube.com, URL: Video Tutorials for the Game of Go (Part 1-3):

-   1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gECcsSeRcNo

Part 1. Overview

-   2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW8822OoihY

Part 2. Playing

-   3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_ZRe3wGIUM

Part 3a Terminology

-   4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCi9vgvLdl0

Part 3b Concepts

-   5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wd6hjWlmlxA -   6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_(game) -   7.     https://www.amazon.com/Go-Complete-Introduction-Beginner-Elementary/dp/4906574505/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1542767609&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=Cho+chikun%2C+Go+for+beignners -   8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gECcsSeRcNo -   9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SmxGIXAuPQ

URL address should be copied, pasted into URL Box, on Browser, and Click.

Combinatorial Movements, Movement-Points Table:

A player can place a new piece on any Grid Point empty, he desires. But, unlike Go, where pieces stay in the same Grid point, until being captured, this invention, allows to redeploy existing pieces on the Board, reflecting true Warfare states. It will follow the rules described below. Player selects two numbers, whose sum is less than or equal to 6. Numbers are applied to one or two pieces. Second segment number can change directions. Two segment numbers can be applied to one piece or two pieces. This rule applies only to the pieces already deployed on the Board. Change in directions can be made using a fresh set of movement number. This Board game is dynamic, unlike Go, where pieces are static. immobile. This is radically different from Go game. As pieces are reduced by being captured, redeployment and realignment of existing pieces can be significant, providing another dimension to the game playing. The following table explains how to construct numbers. The shape of a right triangle emerges. Mysterious math revealing. Colon separates two sets of numbers in two segments. Players choose ApplyingTwo Segment numbers, in any order.

Point-Number—Segments Yielded:

1 - 1 2 - 1: 1, 2 3 - 1: 2, 2: 1, 3 4 - 1: 3, 3: 1, 2: 2, 4 5 - 1: 4, 4: 1, 2: 3, 3: 2, 5 6 - 1: 5, 5: 1, 2: 4, 4: 2, 3: 3, 6

At each point, 8 Directions, at 45 degrees, are available, in combination of Straight, Diagonal, horizontal, and Vertical. forward, and backward.

The Space Odyssey Board game is Dynamic, while Go is static. New Pieces are placed wherever space is available and the way player desires. While, in Go, a piece on the Board is fixed, Nests of Space Odyssey is reconfigured at all times, dynamically changing game. It requires, sharp imagination and concentration, to fully adopt the best strategies. Deploying new pieces on the Board and redeploying existing pieces, a player must be alert, to develop the best strategy.

Movement Strategy:

Go players, generally start playing by placing pieces on small dots on four corners, to stake-out positions for his Nest building. In this Invention, Corner conditions are ubiquitous, at 12. Each Interstellar regions have three corners, each separated with borders and corners. Four regions of 3 corners each, make total 3×4=12. To increase Nesting power, One to Two new pieces can be placed at each turn of play. Also, one to two pieces can be moved around. This quickens the game, helping Nest-Building. Surrounding, capturing, and escaping, get more power. Now, one can place even at the center of the Board, since it offers the same advantage of corner points. It can start building “Two eyes” near the Singularity point. Then, build outward. It is also possible, to put a small rectangles, 3 by 6, filled with a player's pieces. It gives many Liberty points. A center Grid Line, can be left open, Between Two solid lines of pieces. It helps build many liberty eyes, by inserting a piece in he central column, creating many eyes, nests. Players can build nests. Then, build nests outward, expanding. These techniques are possible, because of Board's geometrical design, and generous ability to build Nests. New strategic nests building opportunities abundant, game play opportunity is plenty, with many liberty-eye creations. Develop a dense assembly of pieces in the central area, and move outward, building nests, all around.

Example of the Combination moves, are as follows, in any order: Create two Solid line with one line in the middle empty, and create nests by inserting pieces in the mid-column. Liberty eyes, dissecting the middle empty lines, Connected Nest with one Eye, can create many Nests. Also, Creating solid cluster of Circles, and building outward, multi-liberty eye nests can be obtained. These are not possible, in Go game.

Alternative Moves, in Two Plays, with Two Segment Numbers:

1. Place a piece and a second piece.

2. Place a piece and move it once.

3. Place a piece and move another piece.

4. Move a piece and move the same piece once more.

5. Move one piece and move another piece.

6. Build Dense Blocks, and Scatter, Expand, in multiple-directions.

7. Surrounded, Reverse Defensive Situations, to Offensive advantages 

1. Space Design Form, having, 4 Interstellar Space Regions, Transitory Spaces of, 1 Singularity Point, 4 Wormholes, with 5 Grid Points, and 12 Corner areas for anchoring Nesting,
 2. Unlike Go, where pieces are immobile, this Design allowing all pieces to move, redeploy, in quick strategic responses, as in real Warfare,
 3. Dynamic design allowing 2 play-moves, at each play-turn, selecting 2 Segment-Movement numbers, whose sum is less than or equal to 6, from Mathematical, Combinatorial Table provided, Player with more, Nest Grid Points, and Captured Pieces, Win. 